For the first time, Southern Railway is introducing Global Positioning System-based passenger information system in a broad gauge EMU service. The service, on an experimental basis, will be available from Friday in an EMU service between Tambaram and Chennai Beach.
All coaches in the EMU will have two display boards on either side with high quality light emitting diode in wide-view angle so that passengers anywhere inside the coach can read the information. It will display the name of the approaching station, expected time of arrival, messages of public interest and passenger safety.
The messages will be in English. The system has been so designed that it can be upgraded to display in regional languages on a later date.
LED type destination boards are also provided one each on the leading and rear end of the EMU to display the destination station along with number of coaches attached – six-car, nine-car or 12-car. The bogies of the EMU are built with air suspension arrangement to provide enhanced riding comfort to passengers. The first EMU will leave Tambaram for Chennai Beach at 7.56 a.m. on Friday.
Southern Railway General Manager M.S. Jayanth said it was the first time that such a system would be provided in the EMUs running on Alternating Current in the Indian Railways. He said that he had received a lot of complaints and suggestions from passengers during his inspection at Chennai Egmore – Tambaram section and steps were being taken to redress the grievances.
